April 8, 217: Roman Emperor Caracalla is assassinated


Lucius Septimius Bassianus was born in Lugdunum, Gaul (present-day Lyon, France) in the year 188. He was born to Roman general, Septimius Severus and Julia Domna. In the year 193, his father became Emperor of the Roman Empire. That same year his name would be changed to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. He was officially known as Antoninus but was colloquially known as Caracalla because of a hooded tunic he frequently wore. His father elevated him to co-emperor in 198; his younger brother, Geta would gain the same honor in 209. Everything changed when his father died in 211. Almost immediately Caracalla and Geta argued about their father’s inheritance. Caracalla thought about splitting the Empire but was convinced not to by his mother, Julia. In 211, Julia asked her two sons to bury the hatchet, and meet to discuss their future cooperation as co-emperors. On February 4, Caracalla had his Pretorian Guard hack Geta to death in front of their mother. He was now the sole ruler of Rome.

Caracalla would be a somewhat competent ruler during his six years on the throne. He declared the Edict of Caracalla, which granted citizenship to all those who resided in the Empire. Domestically, he built the Baths of Caracalla. On the foreign front, he waged war against the Alamanni tribe in Germania, and the Parthians in the East. It was while on campaign on April 8, 217, that Caracalla was stabbed to death by his Pretorian Guard. Three days later, the commander of the Guard, Macrinus was proclaimed Emperor.

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